Meet
Kristin A.Garrison
Consultant
KGA Consulting, LLC

Kristin A. Garrison, Founder & Principal, KGA Nonprofit Consulting, LLC
Why Does Kristin Do This?
Kristin genuinely believes in the goodness of others and the power of people to address social needs through nonprofit initiatives. Throughout her life, Kristin has committed herself to helping others by volunteering for many social enterprises. Her nonprofit endeavors complement Kristin’s former work as a nurse and eventual responsibilities as a full-time mom. In all her roles, she learned to continually assess situations, plan, implement strategies, and evaluate outcomes. While planning is essential, Kristin realized that few strategies materialize precisely as planned. Consequently, she has become skilled at both assessment and adaptation. Kristin is always ready to pivot and re-evaluate progress to achieve the best outcomes.
Like other civic-minded women, Kristin’s nonprofit service gravitated toward the needs and interests of her three children. Through the years, causes Kristin supported include Boys and Girl Scouts, faith-based and parent-teacher organizations, Junior Women’s League, and several private secondary education schools. Kristin’s first fund development project began in 2006 when she and her husband sought to secure a service dog to help their child with high-functioning Autism acclimate to social situations. Kristin connected with several East Coast service dog nonprofits, and with the help of her loving family and kind-hearted friends, she raised private funding to help her, and her son become licensed service dog handlers. Kristin firmly believes in Margaret Mead’s statement: “Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world; indeed, it’s the only thing that ever has …”
Kristin is a certified grant writer with a Master of Science in Strategic Fundraising and Philanthropy. She has twelve years of professional experience in nonprofit development, grant writing, and consulting. In 2011, Kristin helped several colleagues develop a youth nonprofit, taking it from the idea stage through the start-up stage. With Kristin’s assistance, the young nonprofit obtained its legal compliance and IRS tax-exempt status and developed its leadership, management, administrative, program, and financial capacities. Kristin leveraged her networks to secure lead donors for initial seed monies and subsequent individual, major donors, and grant funding. In addition to assisting young organizations, Kristin has served as a grant writing mentor and development colleague for several mature, national nonprofit organizations. She has secured corporate, foundation, and state grant funding and assisted with strategic fundraising, communication, and capital campaign planning.
Kristin is a proud member of The American Grant Writers Association, American Fundraising Professionals, and Board Source. In 2020, the Nonprofit Academic Centers Council recognized Kristin for her graduate academic achievement. It awarded her lifetime membership into Nu Lambda MU, International Honor Society for Nonprofit Management, Philanthropy, Social Entrepreneurship, and Enterprise. A resident of Connecticut, Kristin enjoys spending time with her family, being outdoors, gardening or kayaking, training at the International Kyokushinkai Karate Union, and cooking with family and friends.

Nonprofit Management and Philanthropy
Bay Path University